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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26107498">Synergy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeriouslySam/pseuds/SeriouslySam'>SeriouslySam</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Marauders, Not a Date, Slughorn party, Totally A Date, jily</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:28:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,569</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26107498</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeriouslySam/pseuds/SeriouslySam</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>James Potter could kiss Professor McGonagall for pairing him with his long-term crush for a Transfiguration project.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Potter/Lily Evans Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>105</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Synergy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Special thanks to Arnel for beta-ing for me.</p>
<p>Please, don't forget to leave a review. It's a small payment for the hours an author spends agonizing over their stories. It takes less than a minute. Thank you for the support.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<strong>Synergy"</strong></p>
<p>James Potter flipped idly through his Transfiguration book in a study room in the back of the library. He raised his left hand up to run it through his hair but stopped himself. It had taken nearly a whole bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion and a half hour of Sirius' ridicule to get his hair to lay somewhat flat on his head. His fingers clenched before he pounded his fist on the table, his gaze resting on the study room door that was slightly ajar waiting for a certain redhead to appear.</p>
<p>Professor McGonagall had always been his favorite professor. He not only enjoyed the subject material but enjoyed the professor's dry humor. Right now, he could have worshiped the very ground she walked upon because she had paired James with Lily Evans on a Transfiguration project. That meant that the two of them had to be alone and working together. James couldn't keep the shite-eating grin off his face when McGonagall uttered the names <em>Potter and Evans</em>.</p>
<p>James looked down at the watch he had received for his seventeenth birthday just over a week ago. It had a black leather band with a light blue face. In the background, various constellations were embossed behind the golden hands. His parents had bought Sirius a matching one months ago when he came of age. Sirius had jokingly called them watch buddies when the owl appeared at the breakfast table on the morning of his birthday.</p>
<p>"Potter."</p>
<p>James looked up to see Evans standing in the doorframe. Her lips were drawn in a thin line, her auburn hair pulled up into a messy ponytail on the top of her head, her green eyes cold. He would break her. He was determined.</p>
<p>"Right on time." James held up his watch and wiggled his wrist.</p>
<p>Evans eyed him, her gaze flickering to his hair. The corners of her lips quirked upward but he could tell she was trying her hardest to hide it. She stepped in, shutting the door quietly behind her before taking a seat across from him. She slid her messenger bag onto the floor by her feet. She then bent down to pull out her Transfiguration book, some parchment, her wand, and the box that Professor McGonagall had given them for the project.</p>
<p>"So, what kind of diorama do you want to make?" Evans opened up the box and pulled out variety of cut up pieces of parchment.</p>
<p>"Wow, we're just cutting straight to the chase, aren't we?" James pushed his glasses up his nose.</p>
<p>"It's a school project, Potter, not a social hour." Evans frowned, her eyes flickering to his hair again. "What the bloody hell did you do to your hair?"</p>
<p>"I combed it." James grinned. "I've listened to you talk about these newfangled things called combs for years now and I decided to bite the wand and purchase one last Hogsmeade visit."</p>
<p>"You look positively… odd."</p>
<p>James licked his bottom lip, mulling over his word choices carefully. What had Sirius told him? Don't be a cocky prat and talk to her like she was one of his best mates? Something something he didn't need to impress her, he just needed to be himself? James narrowed his eyes, his fingers tapping on the table.</p>
<p>"I could always mess it up again if that makes you feel better." James hovered his hand over his hair. "Yes? No? Comb? Fresh off my broom look? What would help you concentrate better, Evans?"</p>
<p>"I couldn't care less what your hair looks like," Evans scoffed.</p>
<p>James only continued to smile as he picked up his wand that rested by his textbook. He twirled it between his fingers as he leaned back in his chair. Evans flipped through her book until she found the chapter they were currently on.</p>
<p>"We could do the solar system." Evans shrugged as she tapped one of the bits of parchment with the tip of her wand, her lips moving wordlessly.</p>
<p>James watched in mild interest as the flat sheet of paper folded and molded until it formed into the perfect circle. Her lips pursed to the side as she tapped it again and the paper started to bleed different colors until it looked like it could pass for the Earth. James cocked his head to the side, his eyes squinting behind his glasses.</p>
<p>"What if we did like a cityscape?"</p>
<p>James reached out and pulled one of the bits of paper towards him. He tapped his wand against the piece of parchment. It expanded before ballooning. After a good thirty seconds of intricate folding, the paper looked like one of those Muggle motorbikes that Sirius had been showing him for the past two years ever since they learned about automobiles in Muggle Studies. He tapped it again. A shiny red covered the body of the bike and the seat turned a leathered black.</p>
<p>"A motorbike?" Evans raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you even know what one of those are."</p>
<p>"I <em>do</em> take Muggle Studies. Sirius is fascinated by them. He has all these Muggle magazines about them and keeps showing me this Triumph bike he wants." James shrugged. "Want to know a secret?"</p>
<p>"I have a feeling even if I tell you no, you're going to tell me anyways."</p>
<p>James propped his forearms on the table and leaned forward. Evans leaned back in her chair, her arms crossing over her chest. James wasn't even bothered by the move. She often tried to put as much space between them as humanly possible.</p>
<p>"My dad went out and bought Sirius the Triumph he's been looking at for the past year as a farewell to school and hello to adulthood present." James' grin grew wider. "He's going to flip."</p>
<p>"That's an insanely expensive gift for someone to buy their son's best friend." Evans frowned.</p>
<p>"Well, Sirius isn't just my best mate." James matched her frown. "He's family. He's been unofficially adopted by my parents. He's an honorary Potter."</p>
<p>"Right." Evans sighed. "Look, we can do the solar system or your cityscape. I just want to get this done so we can go on our separate ways."</p>
<p>"What do you think your parents will get you for your leaving Hogwarts gift?" James drew another piece of parchment towards him. "I bet mine will be a new broom."</p>
<p>"I don't expect a gift. Probably just a dinner."</p>
<p>James looked up at her through his inky fringe. Maybe it was a wizarding tradition? James blinked before nodding. A year ago, he probably would have taken her dinner comment and segued into asking her out to dinner at the next Hogsmeade trip. He bit his tongue, heeding to both Sirius and Remus' advice to stop asking her out on a date. He had been successful all year much to the displeasure of the betting pool amongst his friends. All three of them thought he'd break by Christmas. His hand started to rise to his hair again but he stopped himself midway. His hand dangled in mid-air for a few seconds before he rubbed his chin for lack of anything better to do with it.</p>
<p>"That sounds nice." James started to chew on the skin around his nail on his middle finger.</p>
<p>"Yeah." Evans cleared her throat. "Let's do the cityscape. It would require a lot more Transfiguration and probably be more impressive."</p>
<p>"We'll have a dinner too." James nodded. "My mum and dad will probably take Sirius and me out to eat somewhere. It's nice, you know? That my parents were so willing to practically adopt Sirius. It's like having a real sibling."</p>
<p>Evans looked at him oddly.</p>
<p>"Siblings aren't as cracked up as they're built up to be."</p>
<p>James let out a bark-like laugh. His eyes sparkled with mirth as he pulled a few pieces of parchment towards him.</p>
<p>"You sound like Sirius. What's wrong with your sibling? A little mama's boy twit like Regulus?"</p>
<p>"Um…" Evans looked down at the arrangement of parchment on the table. "Petunia doesn't like magic."</p>
<p>"Doesn't like magic?" James' eyebrows raised to his hairline. "Who the ruddy hell doesn't like magic?"</p>
<p>"Someone who is incapable of doing magic." Lily tapped her wand to a piece of parchment and it shifted into a lamp post.</p>
<p>James pointed his wand at the lamp post, rotating his wrist, and a flicker of light appeared at the top. Evans chuckled softly before she duplicated the lamp post several times.</p>
<p>"That must be rough." James blinked as he transfigured one of the bits of parchment into a telephone booth. "I couldn't imagine being the only one who could do magic in my family."</p>
<p>"It's called being a Muggleborn." Evan's tone was clipped.</p>
<p>"I didn't mean it as an insult." James' eyes flickered up to look at her. "I don't care about blood. Say what you want about me. Call me a bully. Call me a prat. Call me a toerag. You can't call me a bigot, though. I don't look at people and even think about what kind of blood runs through their veins. It doesn't matter."</p>
<p>"It matters to a lot of people." Evans blew out a puff of air.</p>
<p>"Yeah, well, they're gormless tossing wankers."</p>
<p>Evans let out a small chuckle, the corners of her lips curving up fully at this point. She wasn't even trying to hid her amusement for once. James found himself grinning along with her.</p>
<p>"You're getting better at your insults." Evans shifted around a few sheets of parchment.</p>
<p>"Well, having to compete with bullying toerag was hard, but I think I can manage to keep up a bit." James drummed his fingers on the table between them, relishing in their banter.</p>
<p>Evans laughed. A real laugh. For once, she wasn't laughing at him. James pointed the tip of his wand at yet another sheet of paper. It expanded and folded to make a Tudor-style building equipped with vines and the tiniest of details. He knew Professor McGonagall would appreciate the finer details of their work.</p>
<p>"You're sort of funny when you're not being a complete wanker." Evans smirked at him, her red eyebrow rising up towards her hairline, as another bit of parchment formed into a cat that looked suspiciously like Professor McGonagall's Animagus form.</p>
<p>"You're sort of cute when you're not yelling at me." James tapped his wand on the table, his breath hitching slightly as he braced himself for her reaction.</p>
<p>"You think I'm cute even when I'm yelling at you."</p>
<p>Whatever James thought she was going to say, it certainly wasn't that. Evans hadn't been as frosty with the Marauders lately. In fact, she had even sort of became <em>friends</em> with Sirius. Something to do about how he found her crying in the common room after she received the news that her dad had died. Sirius was oddly tight lipped on what exactly the two talked about but James tried to accept it. He <em>was</em> trying to turn over a new leaf all year in order to get Lily to think of him as something more than just a bullying toerag.</p>
<p>Dare he say, she <em>was</em> warming up to him a bit? He had all but eliminated his hexing of fellow students. James had painstakingly tried not to even look at Snape to avoid doing <em>anything</em> to him unless he was positively certain Evans was nowhere near. He was working on bettering himself. Life wasn't all about the next great prank or hexing a Slytherin, after all. There was a war brewing, a war that Fleamont Potter told them they should start to take seriously.</p>
<p>He took up tutoring first and second year students in Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts – his two best subjects. He spent his free time thinking up Quidditch plays since he had become Quidditch captain that year. Hell, he even joined the Frog Choir just to keep himself out of trouble much to Professor Flitwick's dismay.</p>
<p>"You've told me plenty of times I have a fat head. Look how the tables have turned." James kept his tone light, playful.</p>
<p>"You're an arse, Potter." Evans rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>"I've been told my arse is very firm and fit, if that's what you mean."</p>
<p>James stared at her, his knee bouncing slightly under the table. He was slowly slipping into dangerous territory as Remus called it. He called it being flirty but she could easily see it as him being conceited. He scratched his nose twice with his thumb nail as he waited for her response.</p>
<p>"Are you going home for the Easter holidays?" Evans inquired.</p>
<p>"No. Are you?" James tried to keep the surprise off his face as he pointed his wand at the little parchment Professor McGonagall Animagus and animated it. It roamed around the table, its mouth moving but no noise emitting from it.</p>
<p>"God, no." Evans laughed. "I had enough of my sister's boyfriend over the Christmas holiday. I can't even imagine spending another holiday with him again."</p>
<p>James clenched his teeth together to stop himself from saying she could spend the holiday with him, that he'd sneak her out of the castle for a romantic candlelit dinner. He was quite certain his face was turning red as he held his breath to stop himself. Things were going so well, he didn't want to ruin it all.</p>
<p>"I, uh…" Evans looked at the wall behind him. "Professor Slughorn is having a party over the Easter holiday. I… I normally go with Severus but… we aren't exactly on speaking terms right now, as I'm sure you know. I already skipped out on the Christmas party because I didn't want to go alone."</p>
<p>James heart pounded fast in his chest as he stared hard at her. Was she doing what he thought she was doing? He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her, waiting for the punchline.</p>
<p>"If you wanted, I thought we could go together. I've… you're not completely awful this year. I've noticed you tutoring students and joining in on activities and you've actually kept yourself from hexing everyone in sight and I… I think it's sort of nice."</p>
<p>"Lily Josephine Evans, are you asking me out on a date?" James smiled broadly.</p>
<p>"No, no, not a date. Just… as two people who are getting to know one another."</p>
<p>"Admit it, you like me just a tiny bit."</p>
<p>"I like sixth year James Potter just a tiny bit. Fourth and fifth year James Potter was an utter prat that I <em>never</em> would have asked to go to a Slug Club party with me as… a getting to know one another opportunity."</p>
<p>"I like sixth year Lily Evans just a tiny bit too. She's not as judgmental or frigid."</p>
<p>The tiniest smile quirked on Evans lips. Her bottom lip slid between her teeth and James squirmed in his chair, his hand reaching down to adjust himself in his trousers. Merlin, did she know what she was doing to him?</p>
<p>"Don't do whatever you did to your hair today for the party."</p>
<p>"You want my hair in its natural habitat? Unruly and completely unmanageable?" James wiggled his eyebrows. "I can easily manage that."</p>
<p>"Alright, let's get back to this project."</p>
<p>James just smirked as they worked together to transfigure all the small bits of parchment into a breath-taking city before putting it all together. They each added little details and made it look as realistic as possible. The little people, who were all replicas of classmates, walked on the sidewalk. The motorbike and a few cars rolled down the street. Lily had even managed to get the clouds to hover in midair above the rooftops. It was past two in the morning when they finally finished up.</p>
<p>For the first time since they finished the map at the end of their fifth year, James showed it to someone outside of the Marauders. Evans marveled over the detail as they maneuvered through the castle and avoided Filch and the ghosts. She pointed to the dot labeled <em>Mrs. Norris</em>, thoroughly impressed that the cat showed up on the map. James explained that half of their detentions were thanks to the blasted cat and they were convinced it wasn't an ordinary cat at all. He went into Sirius' theory that Mrs. Norris was actually Filch's wife who was a Maledictus.</p>
<p>After successfully making it back to Gryffindor Tower, the two stood at the bottom of the staircase. James wanted to lean forward and kiss her. In fact, he felt his face drew near hers when he heard Remus' voice in his head telling him that would be an awful idea and Sirius' voice telling him not to bollocks it all up. James smiled.</p>
<p>"Night, Evans."</p>
<p>"Night, Potter." Lily grinned. "Tomorrow night at seven, yeah? Meet by the fireplace?"</p>
<p>"I'll be there."</p>
<p>James watched her walk up the stairs, his eyes on her bum. Midway up, she glanced over her shoulder at him and James couldn't help but run a hand through his hair for the first time all night. His hair was stiff due to the hair potion. He knew it must be sticking straight up because Evans laughed at him, a laugh that made his heart soar. He knew it was going to be awhile before he was able to fall asleep.</p>
<hr/>
<p>James straightened his crimson tie in front of the full-length mirror. He could see Sirius lounging on his bed behind him, a shite-eating grin plastered across his best mate's face. None of his mates believed him when he said he was going to Slughorn's party with THE Lily Evans. It wasn't until he actually started getting dressed that they had taken him seriously.</p>
<p>"I just can't believe it!" Peter blew out a puff of air. "Did you slip her a love potion?"</p>
<p>James scowled as he ran his fingers through his hair to get just the right amount of messiness. It had taken a near half bottle of shampoo to wash out all of the Sleekeazy's from his locks and Sirius asking him if he drowned in the shower at least five times.</p>
<p>"Trust me, Wormtail, we've <em>all</em> wasted the past three years of our lives watching Prongs fail to get a date with Evans." Sirius grinned. "The news is surprising us all. You may find us all in the hospital wing in shock if you actually walk out of the portrait hole with her on your arm."</p>
<p>"I hope when you faint from shock, you all split your heads open." James turned around to look at his best mates, a small smirk playing on his face. "You're the worst friends in the history of the world."</p>
<p>"Can you blame us for being skeptical?" Remus shook his head.</p>
<p>"She said she likes sixth year James just a tiny bit." James wiggled his eyebrows.</p>
<p>"You're welcome." Sirius pushed himself off the bed.</p>
<p>"You can't take credit for this."</p>
<p>"I can and I will." Sirius slung an arm around James' shoulders. "I <em>told</em> you to stop with the pranking and the hexing and the general way you always seemed to word vomit around her. You've done an exceptionally good job this year."</p>
<p>"I was trying to impress her. I didn't word vomit around her," James scoffed.</p>
<p>"You need to work on what you think sounds impressive, Prongs," Remus chuckled. "You came off as an utter wanker half the time."</p>
<p>"Fuck the lot of you." James shrugged Sirius' arm off him. "You're all the ruddy wankers here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with the very enchanting Lily Evans."</p>
<p>With one last look at his mates, he left their dorm room. They were hot on his heels, their voices carrying on behind him about placing bets on how the night would work out. James raised his right hand over his head and gave them two fingers.</p>
<p>James stilled at the bottom of the steps when he caught sight of Lily by the fireplace. Her auburn hair shone under the candles of the common room. An array of golds and reds were shimmering in her loosely curled hair. Her lips were painted nearly as dark as her hair. James felt his breath catch in his throat at the sheer beauty of her.</p>
<p>"You may want to leave your wand with me, mate," Sirius whispered in his ear. "Snivellus will be there tonight and you don't want to fuck this up."</p>
<p>James reached into his robe pocket and withdrew his wand. He passed it back to Sirius. With one last ruffle of his hair, he strutted across the common room. Green eyes met his hazel ones. He stilled in front of her, his hands in his pockets.</p>
<p>"Alright, Evans?" He smiled down at her.</p>
<p>All eyes in the common room locked onto the pair. James held out his elbow to her. A few seconds passed before her fingers wrapped around his arm. The common room burst out into a number of shocked gasps and chatter immediately broke out around them.</p>
<p>"You ready, Potter?"</p>
<p>"I was born ready."</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes at her. James looked over his shoulder at his friends to see them crossing their fingers for him. He didn't think the grin on his face was going to slip off for the entire evening, the entire weekend, the entire month. It might even be a permanent fixture on his face for the rest of his life if the night went well.</p>
<p>They made small talk about classes as they made their way to the dungeons to the party. When they entered the party, most of the conversations seemed to stop as all eyes were on the pair of them. James attempted to act casual, like he had Evans on his arm frequently. He looked down at her to see her squirming slightly under the scrutiny of their classmates and professors. Her eyes were locked on the corner of the room. His gaze followed hers.</p>
<p>There, hunched over and looking paler than he normally did but just as greasy, was Severus Snape. James jutted his chin up in the air. His wide grin became that of a smirk, his eyebrows raising. He stared right at Snape, daring him to say or do anything.</p>
<p>"Lily! James!" Slughorn entered his line of vision. "What a splendid surprise to see some of my best students here together! James, how is Fleamont?"</p>
<p>James glanced at Lily to see her mouthing the word <em>Fleamont</em> with an amused expression. He shrugged before turning his attention back to their potion's professor.</p>
<p>"He's splendid. Enjoying the retired life."</p>
<p>"Ho ho, you can't fool me, James! I heard he was working on a new potion. Very tight-lipped about it, I hear!"</p>
<p>"My dad's always working on a new potion." James shrugged.</p>
<p>Slughorn asked a slew of questions about his dad and James suddenly remembered why he avoided being alone with Slughorn. He smiled brightly, answered the questions politely, and wished for him to leave them alone silently. Luckily, some former student of his who played Chaser with the Montrose Magpies entered the room for them to slip away to the food tables.</p>
<p>"Professor Slughorn knows your dad?" Lily accepted a plate from him.</p>
<p>"They run in the same circles." James couldn't help but take a large sampling of food.</p>
<p>"The same circles? What does your dad do exactly?"</p>
<p>James didn't like talking about his dad to people. Anytime anyone ever found out that his dad invented Sleekeazy's, they either asked for free samples or gushed over the product. James contemplated on how much to tell her as he started grabbing scotch eggs, sausage rolls, mini quiches, a few different types of scones, and more cheese and pickle straws than what was considered polite.</p>
<p>"He's a potioneer."</p>
<p>"Oh, brilliant. Explains why you're annoyingly good at potions then. Anything I would have heard of?" Lily's plate had a lot less food on it.</p>
<p>"Um… some hair potion." James shrugged.</p>
<p>"Why are you acting all odd about it?"</p>
<p>James snagged a goblet of pumpkin juice and handed it to Lily. She accepted it with her brows furrowed. James grabbed a goblet for himself before he gestured with his head to a small, unoccupied pub table. They sat their food down and stood as there were no chairs around.</p>
<p>"My dad invented Sleekeazy's Hair Potion." James took a bite of a cheese and pickle straw.</p>
<p>"Oh, Marlene uses that all the time. She swears by it." Lily ran her finger along the rim of her goblet. "I've never used any of the wizarding beauty products. I've always just stuck to the Muggle brands."</p>
<p>"I don't use it either… well, except for yesterday when it took a whole vial just to tame this unruly mess. Potter family trait. It's why my dad invented Sleekeazy's. He <em>hated</em> the messy hair."</p>
<p>"So, you're saying that your hair is naturally that messy and not purposely styled that way?" Her eyes shined with amusement.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately. It's a Potter family curse. My great-grandfather won some wizarding award for best hair and the runner up was highly offended and cursed the Potter family line." James grinned.</p>
<p>"Are you taking the mickey out of me?"</p>
<p>James roared with laughter as he popped a mini quiche into his mouth. He nodded, his lips tugging.</p>
<p>"My hair <em>is</em> naturally this messy. There is no Potter family curse though. Just bad genes… or good genes depending on how you look at it. I think the unruliness gives off a sort of charm."</p>
<p>"Knowing it's natural and not styled that way… I have a new appreciation for it."</p>
<p>"Awe, Evans, that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me!"</p>
<p>James knocked his hip against hers. She let out a… <em>giggle</em>? James didn't know that Lily Evans was even capable of such a wonderous sound. Her nose scrunched up, her teeth flashing.</p>
<p>"Lily." She looked up at him.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Call me Lily. If we're on a get to know each other adventure as friends, we should call each other Lily and James. At least, we should attempt to."</p>
<p>"Lily," he tested out the name before bending down until his lips were close to her ear. "Lily. Lily. Lily. Lily. Lily."</p>
<p>"Alright, that's not annoying at all, Potter." She pulled away from him.</p>
<p>"<em>James</em>."</p>
<p>Lily rolled her eyes. He rather liked being able to call her Lily. Although, he was rather fond of Evans as well. Maybe they could be used interchangeably.</p>
<p>"Fine. <em>James.</em>" Lily rose up on her tiptoes. "James. James. James. James."</p>
<p>"You give me all the tingles, Lily Josephine Evans." James shook out his arms.</p>
<p>"You know what's not fair? I don't know <em>your</em> middle name."</p>
<p>"You never will."</p>
<p>"It can't be that bad."</p>
<p>"It can be. My dad only allowed it because my mum was so hyped up on pain potions that he said he wouldn't have denied her anything she requested." James pulled his lips back into a tight smile. "Very unlucky for me that my dad was such a sop."</p>
<p>"I'll tell you something about me if you tell me your middle name."</p>
<p>"I won't just make that offer without it being something embarrassing. Give me the most embarrassing moment of your life so far, and I'll tell you my middle name."</p>
<p>"That <em>hardly </em>seems like a fair trade!" Lily laughed.</p>
<p>"You don't know my middle name."</p>
<p>Lily tapped her nails on the table, her eyes boring into him. She squinted up at him before a glint flitted across her face. James' heart sank, a grimace pulling on his face.</p>
<p>"It's Fleamont, isn't it? After your dad!" Lily's eyes sparkled.</p>
<p>"Fuck." James lolled his head back. "You can't tell anyone!"</p>
<p>"James Fleamont Potter. Merlin, Flea, that's awful."</p>
<p>"Don't you even dare start calling me that." James pointed his finger at her as he fought hard to keep the smile off his face.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, Fleamont. I'll only call you that when we're alone." Lily leaned into him, grinning madly.</p>
<p>James couldn't help but let out a cross between a snort and a chuckle. He grabbed a cheese and pickle straw and pointed it at a seventh year Slytherin. James gestured his head towards them.</p>
<p>"You see Flint over there? His middle name is Chesterfield. His mate, Rowle, his middle name is Aquilla."</p>
<p>"Merlin, do purebloods just think of the most godawful names for their children?" Lily took a sip of her pumpkin juice.</p>
<p>"Ah, yes, you've uncovered centuries of resentment amongst the pureblood families. It's why they whip out their knobs and wave them about claiming they have superior blood. They're all just ashamed of their horrendous middle names. In some cases, their awful first names."</p>
<p>The night went on without a hitch. James and Lily laughed throughout the dinner portion of the evening and chatted amongst their classmates. Once the dinner portion was over with, The Hobgoblins performed. James dragged Lily out on the dance floor. A part of James was glad the music was thumping and less slow. It allowed him to put a little bit of space between them because he wasn't sure he would be able to stop himself from kissing her if they actually slow danced.</p>
<p>James shook his hips, one hand over his head and the other holding a pretend microphone. "<em>You are someone I neeeeeed. You got to believe in meeeee.</em>" The hand over his head slowly lowered until he was pointing at Lily. She laughed, her hand over her heart. "<em>Swim down to the seaaaaaa with meeeeee.</em>"</p>
<p>James knew it wasn't technically a date, but it felt like a date. It felt like their first date, the one that they would reference five, ten, fifteen years down the road when someone would ask about it. The not a date that was in actuality a date. James grabbed her hand in his and twirled her under his arm, savoring in her laughter.</p>
<p>They were some of the last people to leave the party that night. James had undone his tie hours ago and Lily had kicked off her heels in during a break in songs. They excited the party, their shoulders bumping against one another. When he was certain they were out of earshot of Slughorn, he turned towards Lily and smirked.</p>
<p>"Splendid to see you, Lily, m'dear!" James patted his stomach, his voice low and jolly. "I hope you don't eat too many chocolate eggs this weekend!"</p>
<p>Lily laughed at his impression of Slughorn, tiny tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes. James, daringly, wrapped his fingers around her hand. Her chuckles died down as she looked down at their interlocked fingers. A small smile danced on her lips.</p>
<p>James tugged her along the corridor, trying his hardest to fight the urge of pushing her against the wall and snogging the living daylights out of her. He felt like that was probably a piece of advice Remus gave him that he conveniently tuned out about halfway through the speech. When she didn't pull away her hand, his heart sped up in his chest. She took a step closer to him, her free hand wrapping around his elbow. He was suddenly very well aware of how close they actually were. James stilled.</p>
<p>"I, uh, can I kiss you?" James looked down at her, his mouth suddenly dry.</p>
<p>"This isn't a date, Potter." Lily looked up at him, his fingers teasing the inside of his elbow.</p>
<p>"Right. Right. A getting to know one another opportunity, yeah?" James smirked. "Feels like a date though."</p>
<p>"I would like to be friends, James, before deciding if I want to date you." Lily bit her bottom lip again and James felt a twitch in his nether region.</p>
<p>"Yeah, alright, we can be friends first. Just out of curiosity, how long do we stay friends before I'm allowed to ask you out on a proper date?"</p>
<p>"How about we wait until we're both seventh years?" Her grip tightened around his hand. "I like you a tiny bit, but I want to make sure you <em>like</em> me like me before we do anything."</p>
<p>"Of course, I <em>like</em> you like you. Why would you think I didn't like you like you?" James furrowed his brow, his body shifting to face her.</p>
<p>"I just don't want to be some kind of conquest for you. I want to make sure your feelings are genuine."</p>
<p>James stilled and absorbed the words. He had <em>never</em> seen her as some type of conquest. He only saw a future with her, someone who was potentially a soul mate to him. There was just something about her that sent butterflies rampaging in his stomach and made him want to scream cheesy poetry at the top of his lungs. He had failed to find another girl that had captured his attention so fully. All of the other girls he dated paled in comparison to Lily Evans.</p>
<p>"I promise you, I like you like you. I have for a very long time. Let's make the Unbreakable Vow, you'll see my feelings are true. Pull out your wand, Evans!"</p>
<p>James grinned as he reached over to pull up the sleeve, his fingers brushing against hers that were still locked around his elbow. She rolled her eyes at him, a smile dancing on her lips.</p>
<p>"You're so dramatic, Potter."</p>
<p>"I'm proving a point." James gazed at her with an intensity. "I'm not in this for a notch on my bedpost – which, you'll be happy to know, is a lot less than rumored. I'm not in this to brag. I'm in this because you make me feel things that I have never felt before. Even when you're shouting at me and calling me names, my heart beats a little faster and I just want to pull you into a cupboard so I can snog the shite out of you."</p>
<p>Lily leaned her chest into his, her head cocking just slightly to the side. Their faces drew nearer together. He could feel her breath tickling his lips. Then, James was in pain. He cried out in surprise, his eyes screwing together as it felt like a thousand white, hot knives were continuously and relentlessly stabbing into his side. He jerked away from Lily, his hand rubbing the spot that stung.</p>
<p>"Severus!" Lily's voice sounded in horror.</p>
<p>James looked up through his teary eyes to see Severus Snape a little ways down the corridor. His wand was pointed at James and pure malice shone on his very shiny face. James made a motion for his wand and mentally cursed himself for giving it to Sirius. He should have been smarter and assumed Snape would try to start something. Now, he was defenseless, his side was burning like it was on fire, and he wanted to freeze off Snivellus' bits.</p>
<p>"Does he have you under the Imperius?" snapped Snape as he drew nearer. "Maybe brewed you a little love potion?"</p>
<p>"No!" Lily balled her hands up by her side. "I decided to go to the party with him on my own volition."</p>
<p>Snivellus laughed cruelly, his lips thinning. James took a step forward, an insult on the tip of his tongue when Snape flicked his wand. As though behind tugged by an invisible string, James was flung backwards and collided hard with the stone wall behind them. Lily screamed while James groaned and cursed Sirius.</p>
<p>There was an annoying ringing in his ears and his head throbbed painfully. He blinked up at Lily but she seemed blurry, more so out of his right eye. He reached up to touch his aching temple and his fingers met a stinky, red substance. He glanced at his fingers, feeling a rush of bile rising in his throat.</p>
<p>"He wasn't even doing anything to you, Severus! He didn't even pull out his wand!"</p>
<p>"<em>He merely existed</em>, Lily!" Snape seethed. "He obviously has you under some compulsion potion or spell or-"</p>
<p>"Shut it! Just shut it, Sev! Do you want to know why we went to Slughorn's party together? It's because he grew up, which is more than I can say about you right now!"</p>
<p>Suddenly, Lily was by his side. Her fingers brushed his fringe away from his temple that continued to gush blood. She tugged his glasses off his face and James felt very naked without them. It took him a few seconds to realize she was repairing them, one of the lenses had shattered upon his impact with the wall. She righted them on his face with such care that his heart swelled.</p>
<p>"He hasn't grown up at all! He's playing you! Can't you see that? Lily!"</p>
<p>"Can you stand?" Lily offered him a helping hand.</p>
<p>James allowed her to help him up. He swayed dangerously to the left, his body weight collapsing into her. She made a squeak of surprise as James flung himself towards the stone wall and hunched over. Then, James regretted stuffing his face at the party as he began to spew out half of the contents of his stomach onto the floor.</p>
<p>"Lily! Are you listening to me?"</p>
<p>"I think you have a concussion. Let's get you to the hospital wing." Lily's hand was soothing on his back as he lost more of his night's feast.</p>
<p>"No… hospital." James heaved a sigh. "I just want my bed."</p>
<p>"You should really be watched tonight." Lily's fingers touched his cheek.</p>
<p>"Mmmm… Sirius will do it." James stood up to his full height, his vision slightly less blurry.</p>
<p>Snape still stood not far from them. His wand hanging loosely at his side. James slung an arm around Lily's shoulders as her arm snaked around his waist and held him close. Unfortunately, James felt too awful to even be smug about his current position with Lily. He felt her fingers curl around his wrist that was around her shoulders.</p>
<p>"Lily! Are you <em>mad</em>?" Snape gaped at them openly.</p>
<p>"The only one mad here, Severus, is you," Lily bit out coolly. "Don't talk to me again unless you grow up! Come on, James. Let's get back to Gryffindor."</p>
<p>James hesitated for a few moments. He certainly didn't want to turn his back on Snape but Lily tugged at him gently to follow her. He complied, his body stiff with tension as he braced himself for another curse or hex. None came for which he was exceedingly grateful.</p>
<p>They walked in silence towards Gryffindor Tower. James mostly because he didn't want to lose any more of his dinner and abundant number of snakes. Lily because she seemed like she was positively seething from their spat with Snape.</p>
<p>Once outside the portrait hole, James pulled away from her so he could see her. He licked his bottom lip as he stared into her wide, green eyes.</p>
<p>"This wasn't a date," James blurted out.</p>
<p>"I <em>know</em>. It was a get to know one another opportunity." Lily crossed her arms over her chest, the corners of her mouth twitching.</p>
<p>"No, I mean, I'm saying like ten or fifteen years down the road when our kids ask us about our first date, we're not going to tell them about <em>this</em> night." James shoved his hands in his trouser pockets and squinted down at her.</p>
<p>"That's presumptuous of you." Lily let out an amused chuckle.</p>
<p>"I'm just saying, there's going to be no <em>oh, on our first date your dad got hit by a Stinging Hex, got blasted into a wall, received a concussion, and proceeded to vomit all over the floor and his shoes.</em> This night will never be spoken about in that manner. This was a friend's outing. Our real first date won't include vomit or concussions." James blinked, feeling the caked blood move unpleasantly by his eye.</p>
<p>"What if I don't agree to that?" Lily smirked.</p>
<p>"I'd have to Obliviate our kids," James replied in a deadpan voice. "Messy and unfortunate business, but it would simply have to be done."</p>
<p>"You really think in five months I'm going to say yes to a date from you?" She took a step closer.</p>
<p>"Merlin, <em>yes</em>." James grinned. "I want to kiss you."</p>
<p>"I'm not kissing my friend with stinky vomit breath."</p>
<p>"Would you kiss a boyfriend with stinky vomit breath?"</p>
<p>"I don't know. I've never been in that position before."</p>
<p>James nodded, the ask on the tip of his tongue. He let the words die on his lips. He didn't want the story of how he finally got Lily Evans to say yes to being his girlfriend to be a night that ended so miserably as this one. Plus, he was fairly certain she would say no just out of principle.</p>
<p>"Well, maybe you'll get to find out in our seventh year."</p>
<p>"Oh, what? The great James Potter isn't going to ask me out? You were setting yourself up for it."</p>
<p>"You said you wanted to be friends first. I'm respecting that." James rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm a reformed man – a changed man, a gentleman. You want five months of being friends to prove to you that I <em>like</em> you like you then five months you'll get. I'm warning you, Evans, I'm asking you out as soon as we get on the Hogwarts Express on the first of September."</p>
<p>"Somehow, I don't doubt that."</p>
<p>"Are you two going to enter the common room at some point or just continue to interrupt my beauty sleep?" The Fat Lady huffed.</p>
<p>"My fair lady, I'm terribly sorry for our rudeness. Dragon's head, if you will." James gave a small bow.</p>
<p>"Flattery will get you everywhere in life." The Fat Lady smiled before she swung up the portrait.</p>
<p>James held out his arm, gesturing for Lily to enter first. With a smile dancing on her lips, she stepped inside and he followed her. His head was swimming, his temple throbbing. He looked up the staircase and suddenly felt like collapsing on the sofa in the common room. The fire was still blazing and the warmth would feel so good.</p>
<p>"Do you need help upstairs?" Lily's fingers brushed against his injured temple. "I think the bleeding has stopped. Do you want me clean it for you?"</p>
<p>"I lied before." James licked his lips. "I don't like you a little bit. I like you a lot a bit. I liked fifth year Lily just as much as I like sixth year Lily. I was trying to play it off as no big deal, like I haven't been wanting to date you since fourth year. Every time I asked you on a date, it was because I was enraptured by you. It wasn't a dare or a conquest. I just <em>like</em> you."</p>
<p>"James?" Lily furrowed her brows.</p>
<p>James sighed, blinking several time to clear his head.</p>
<p>"I don't need help upstairs. I'll be fine. I'll have Sirius help me patch it up. He's gotten exceedingly good at healing charms over the years."</p>
<p>"Are you alright?" Her hand ran down his arm.</p>
<p>"I'm fine. I'm sorry. I think it's the concussion. My head <em>really</em> hurts." He raked a hand through his hair. "Goodnight, Lily."</p>
<p>"Goodnight."</p>
<p>James offered a soft smile before he climbed the stairs to his dormitory. When he entered, he saw all three of his best mates sitting on his bed with big grins and the map spread out between them. Upon seeing their friend with blood dried on their faces, their smiles fell.</p>
<p>"What the fuck did Evans do to you?" Sirius gestured to his head.</p>
<p>"She wants me to call her Lily now." James shrugged off the dress robes and tossed them on his trunk at the foot of his bed.</p>
<p>"Tell us all about it! What happened to you?" Peter rocked on the bed.</p>
<p>"Was it Snape? We saw him corner you on the map." Remus frowned.</p>
<p>"For once, I was not the bad guy in an exchange with Snivellus." James kicked off his shoes. "It was a glorious feeling."</p>
<p>"You're welcome." Sirius pulled out James' wand from his pajama pocket and tossed it to him and he caught it easily. "She probably thought you were a ruddy saint for not hexing him back."</p>
<p>"She did comment on it." James grinned widely. "I have a concussion. Evans said you lot have to watch over me tonight."</p>
<p>"Fuck that!" Sirius threw a pillow at him.</p>
<p>"Budge over." James attempted to climb onto his bed, pillow under his arm.</p>
<p>"You're not going to tell us about the date?" Pete asked in confusion. "You've literally involved us heavily into your love life since fourth year and now that it's finally happened, you're not going to say a word?"</p>
<p>"It wasn't a date." James kicked Sirius so that he could lay down. "It was a get to know one another opportunity."</p>
<p>Sirius snorted before lying down next to his best mate. James tried to shove him off the bed but Sirius was an unfortunate unmovable force.</p>
<p>"I regret staying up for this." Remus shook his head as he rose from the bed.</p>
<p>"Alright, alright! You know I'm dying to tell you all about it," James announced.</p>
<p>James dove into the tale of his not date but a date with Lily Evans with his best mates who had been there with him through the whole unrequited and now semi-requited love ordeal. He couldn't help the fluttering in his stomach or shake the feeling that this was finally the start of the rest of his life.</p>
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